A Celebration of Native Filmmaking

The 2025 Native Lens Symposium brings film professionals from the Four Corners region and throughout Indian Country to present sessions on topics for professional, aspiring, and hobby filmmakers, alike.

The goal of the Symposium is to enhance a supportive community of Indigenous filmmakers within Colorado and the Four Corners region, provide information and resources for aspiring and active industry professionals, and establish relationships to set aspiring filmmakers up for success within the film industry.

Sessions and topics include; Introducing the Industry, Indigenizing Storytelling Forms, Finding Funding and more.

The Symposium also includes a screening and master class with Haudenosaune filmmaker Paige Bethmann and Diné composer Kino Benally.

We hope you can join us on the homelands of the Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) people. We also acknowledge that this land is connected to the communal and ceremonial spaces of the Jicarilla Apache (Apache), Pueblos of New Mexico, Hopi Sinom (Hopi), and Diné (Navajo) Nations.

The 2025 Native Lens Symposium is made possible with funding from the Colorado Office of Film, Television, and Media.

Register Here!

Schedule

Day 1 – Saturday, June 28

8:30am – 10:00am: Check-in, Breakfast and Opening Remarks

10:00am – 11:30am: Opening Session: Working in Indian Country / Filming on Tribal Land

Dialogue on the ethics and best practices of filming in Native communities.

Speakers include Kree Lopez (Native Lens Editor and Community Liaison), Paige Bethmann (Director, Remaining Native), Mandolin Rain Song (Taos Pueblo filmmaker), Charine Pilar Gonzales (Tewa Filmmaker)

11:30am – 12:00pm: Industry representative introductions

12:00pm – 1:30pm: Lunch: Industry roundtables

Participating industry representatives from Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media; Rocky Mountain PBS; Ridgway Film Festival; Ouray International Film Festival; MountainFilm, Vision Maker Media; Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival; The Tribal Media Center and the Sundance Institute.

1:30pm – 2:30pm: Afternoon Session: Meet the Festivals

Hear from festival directors across Colorado and New Mexico and learn what motivates audiences and festival programmers alike.

Meet festival representatives from Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival, Ridgway Independent Film Festival, Ouray International Film Festival, Durango Independent Film Festival, and MountainFilm.

2:45pm – 5:15pm: Screening of Remaining Native and master class with Haudenosaunee Filmmaker Paige Bethmann and Diné composer Kino Benally.

5:30pm – 7:30pm: Evening mixer and networking session with music and light bites

Download Day 1 Schedule

Day 2 – Sunday, June 29

9:00am – 10:00am: Breakfast

10:00am – 11:15am: Morning Session 1: Intro to the Industry

Finding jobs, internships, on-set experience and other opportunities

Speakers include Diane Cerafici (Rocky Mountain PBS), Ashley Browning (crew member, Outer Range and The Curse), Colten Ashley (Manager of the Tribal Media Center). Moderated by Arielle Brachfield (Colorado Office of Film, Television and Media)

11:30am – 12:45pm: Morning Session 2: Knowing the Law

Negotiating contracts, navigating intellectual property, and more

Presentation given by Caroline Kert, business attorney and litigator, who specializes in arts & entertainment law.

12:45pm – 2:00pm: Lunch and Roundtables with Industry Representatives

2:15pm – 3:30pm: Afternoon Session 1: Indigenizing storytelling forms

Speakers include Sabrina Saleha (Diné/Bengali filmmaker), Kino Benally (musician and composer, Remaining Native), Mandolin Rain Song (Taos Pueblo filmmaker)

3:45pm – 5:00pm: Afternoon Session 2: Finding funding and support through grants, production agreements, labs and fellowships.

Speakers include Katie Arthurs (Sundance Indigenous Program), Tony Pérez Soto (Vision Maker Media), Charine Pilar Gonzales (Tewa filmmaker and Sundance Lab participant), Colleen Thurston (Choctaw filmmaker).

5:00pm – 6:30pm: BREAK. Opportunity to complete Symposium survey.

6:30pm – 8:00pm: Closing dinner and Native Lens Film Screening.

Download Day 2 Schedule

More information

Breakfast, lunch and heavy appetizers are provided on Saturday. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided on Sunday.
Parking is free – find a parking map here.
The Native Lens symposium is open to everyone, but especially geared towards supporting Indigenous filmmakers and storytellers.

LOCATION

All sessions, meals and screenings take place in the Vallecito Room in the Fort Lewis College Student Union, located at 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, CO 81301.